Posted on 03/20/2010 11:45:22 AM PDT by ThisLittleLightofMine
A man who was seen in a Vancouver supermarket with a handgun visible in a holster — prompting a call to 911 on Friday — was ticketed and released with a court date, police said.
Shortly after 4 p.m., officers were sent to the Albertsons store at 5000 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., said Sgt. Greg Raquer with the Vancouver Police Department.
When officers approached the man who wore the gun he was cooperative. The loaded gun’s holster had two ammo magazines attached to it, said Officer Ilia Botvinnik.
Officers explained the law to the man, gave him a ticket for alleged unlawful carrying of a weapon and released him.
Under the law, Raquer said, a person can be ticketed if his display of a gun alarms people.
“I guess you could liken it to people yelling ‘Fire!’ in a movie theater,” Raquer said. “People get alarmed.”
He added, “Most responsible people don’t display their firearm in public.”
Had the man worn a coat, no one would have noticed the gun, Raquer said.
In that event, however, the gun would have been considered concealed, which is illegal unless the person had a concealed weapons permit, Botvinnik said.
The man in Albertsons did have a concealed weapons permit, although it doesn’t apply to open carrying, Botvinnik said.
Raquer declined to release the man’s name, saying the police report hadn’t been completed.
Vancouver police have had several such calls recently.
The state law that applies to the Albertsons case is RCW 9.41.270, Botvinnik said.
That law says: “It shall be unlawful for any person to carry, exhibit, display, or draw any firearm, dagger, sword, knife or other cutting or stabbing instrument, club, or any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm, in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons.”
The text of the entire law, including exceptions such as carrying a firearm in your own home or place of business, can be read at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.41.270
John Branton: 360-735-4513 or john.branton@columbian.com.
Vancouver, WA ping.
What kind of officer spews out this garbage???
Your joking right? You still under the illusion that the Police work for you?
Had you read the entire article, you would have realized it is in the United States, as Vancouver is in WA state.
I do not live in this neighborhood and if you had read the article, or went to the link you would have realized it was in the United States. Please do not “blame” me for your laziness.
I wonder how “comfortable” he’d feel if someone came in to rob the store and the guy with the weapon foiled the crime!
Bump
That’s why some states require CCW. People can be frightened at the site of a gun on a civilian stranger and that can be considered assault.
Yes I still like to believe this, I know hope springs eternal.
This is, of course, utterly absurd. Welcome to Canada. Thirty five years ago I drove to Toronto with some friends. We were stopped by a cop who told me I MUST wear my seat belt. I’ve never been back.
Was the store robbed while the dude was there? No? Then the store should be thankful by what he might have deterred.
This is NOT Canada. It is in the United States, in WA State.
This is BS. And it’s NOT Canada. It’s Washington.
Sounds like he's innocent. Just cause there's a wussy little hoplophobe in the room who gets his very, very pretty lace panties in a bunch, doesn't mean you're in violation. The law requires either "intent to intimidate" or "warranted" alarm, neither of which seems to have been present.
Vancouver, BC, or Vancouver, Wash?
A good little comrade
Canada doesn’t have Albertsons or legal handguns.
Good God!
When I read stuff like this it only reminds me how far we have to go.
“That’s why some states require CCW. People can be frightened at the site of a gun on a civilian stranger and that can be considered assault.”
I think you forgot the /S sarcasm tag.
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